The Civic Center will be bustling with potential life savers on Saturday.
Seven of nine classes on free CPR have been sold out, but a limited number of walk-ins will still be welcome.
Classes will be offered at 7:30 a.m., 8:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 10 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 11:30 a.m., noon and 12:30 p.m.
The classes last about an hour.
Other classes are being offered. Any Savannah resident can sign up online at www.slicc.org/SavannahCPR
The Savannah CPR initiative is trying to train 1,000 residents in the shands-only CPR technique, which involves chest compressions to the beat of the Bee-Gees song “Stayin’ Alive.” Studies have shown that those who suffer sudden cardiac arrest are 2-4 times more likely to survive if a bystander immediately performs this technique.
The classes are “train-the-trainer” format. Each participant will be given a hands-only CPR kit, which includes a CPR dummy torso to practice on, a DVD and other materials. The CPR classes are free, but each participant must pledge to train five other people of their choosing in this technique. At the end of 2013, the City’s goal is to have 6,000 Savannahians trained.